First, the tough Roman soldiers, united in violence upon, and mockery of, him.
They called together the whole company of soldiers. The soldiers put a purple robe on Jesus. Then they twisted thorns together to make a crown. They placed it on his head. They began to call out to him, “We honor you, king of the Jews!” Again and again they hit him on the head with a stick. They spit on him. They fell on their knees and pretended to honor him. After they had made fun of him, they took off the purple robe. They put his own clothes back on him. Then they led him out to nail him to a cross.
Second, Simon from Cyrene, united under pressure to assisting those about to kill him. A man named Simon from Cyrene was passing by. He was the father of Alexander and Rufus. Simon was on his way in from the country. The soldiers forced him to carry the cross.
Third, the soldiers united in gaining for themselves from him.
They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha. The word Golgotha means The Place of the Skull. Then they gave him wine mixed with spices. But he did not take it. They nailed him to the cross. Then they divided up his clothes. They cast lots to see what each of them would get. It was nine o’clock in the morning when they crucified him.
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Fourth, the spin-doctors, united in the pointing out the irony surrounding him.
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They wrote out the charge against him. It read, The King of the Jews. They crucified two robbers with him. One was on his right and one was on his left.
Fifth, the passers-by, united in shouting their strong dis-belief in him.
Those who passed by shouted at Jesus and made fun of him. They shook their heads and said, “So you are going to destroy the temple and build it again in three days? Then come down from the cross! Save yourself!”
Sixth, the great and the good, united in having successfully satisfied, at last, their envy of him.
In the same way the chief priests and the teachers of the law made fun of him among themselves. “He saved others,” they said. “But he can’t save himself! Let this Christ, this King of Israel, come down now from the cross! When we see that, we will believe.”
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Seventh, the robbers, united in, at last, in equating themselves with him.
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Those who were being crucified with Jesus also made fun of him.
United although diverse. That pretty well sums us up.
Behind it all was a single motive – my interests and my certainty that I am right.
But one of the two robbers, a few minutes later, changed him mind. Luke, another first century biographer of Jesus has recorded it. He saw himself clearly.
One of the criminals hanging there made fun of Jesus. He said, “Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself! Save us!” But the other criminal scolded him. “Don’t you have any respect for God?” he said. “Remember, you are under the same sentence of death. We are being punished fairly. We are getting just what our actions call for. But this man hasn’t done anything wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus answered him, “What I’m about to tell you is true. Today you will be with me in paradise.”
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